 MattAll noise, no signal.Premium
join:2003-07-20
Jamestown, NC
kudos:12 | reply to Chris 313
Re: The Future said by Chris 313:With them being able to basically offer any speed/content they want with a few equipment upgrades, things make me wonder how Cable will compete. Cable will be fine for years to come as well. It's AT&T and Qwest you should worry about. Coax has a ton of life left in it and cable has the ability to run FTTH if necessary. While some cable operators are experiencing a bandwidth crunch, it's nothing like the crunch other providers are experiencing and technologies like DOCSIS 3.0 and Switched Digital Video will help.
You have to remember, when cable did their HFC upgrades 10-15 years ago, their last-mile network put their competitors to absolute shame. I would argue that aside from Verizon's FiOS product, it still does.
Something few people also mention, is that by the time cable (or even AT&T) decide to run FTTH, Verizon will have blazed that trail so the costs of entry will be substantially lower. All one has to do is look at how rapidly Verizon's cost to pass a home with FiOS have plummeted since it was rolled out to realize that in 5 years, it might make financial sense for the MSOs to roll out their own FTTH product. |
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 Chris 313Come get somePremium
join:2004-07-18
Houma, LA
 ·AT&T U-Verse
 ·Comcast Digital ..
 ·Comcast
1 edit | said by Matt:said by Chris 313:With them being able to basically offer any speed/content they want with a few equipment upgrades, things make me wonder how Cable will compete. Cable will be fine for years to come as well. It's AT&T and Qwest you should worry about. Coax has a ton of life left in it and cable has the ability to run FTTH if necessary. While some cable operators are experiencing a bandwidth crunch, it's nothing like the crunch other providers are experiencing and technologies like DOCSIS 3.0 and Switched Digital Video will help. You have to remember, when cable did their HFC upgrades 10-15 years ago, their last-mile network put their competitors to absolute shame. I would argue that aside from Verizon's FiOS product, it still does. Something few people also mention, is that by the time cable (or even AT&T) decide to run FTTH, Verizon will have blazed that trail so the costs of entry will be substantially lower. All one has to do is look at how rapidly Verizon's cost to pass a home with FiOS have plummeted since it was rolled out to realize that in 5 years, it might make financial sense for the MSOs to roll out their own FTTH product. Sure, but I was talking about in the long term. Say like 5-10 years when cable has been pushed to it's max in terms of equipment and all. What will they do? Run FTTH? Do you think providers like Comcast will have a FTTH plan on the desk as a backup plan or a possible prototype in an area or two?
Aside from that, I do believe cable will be fine for a while, though I'll always want faster, faster. Until you hit a button and have it there already with no waiting, it's never fast enough. I also believe D3 and SDV will help as well. I've seen and read all that Docsis 3 is doing and will be capable of thus far and I'm drooling for it.
I agree with you about how cable's last mile puts most providers to shame, aside from Fios, but they could also do a bit better since it is fiber.
I have AT&T here, and aside from Verizon cell service, there is no FiOS here and probably never will be. I'm not worried about them and think their U-Verse efforts are pathetic when Comcast can easily outdo them with Blast! and other speed tiers. Not to mention services like phone that they seem to be doing so well vs people like AT&T.
As for MSOs like Comcast running their own FTTH product, you bring up a funny thought. If Verizon's work drives down the cost of Fiber anything, Comcast is doing the same with Docsis 3, wouldn't you agree? |
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 Jmartz
join:2000-07-20
Tenafly, NJ | reply to Matt
said by Matt:said by Chris 313:technologies like DOCSIS 3.0 and Switched Digital Video will help. That is assuming companies like Cablevision can actually get Switched Digital Video working correctly. Cablevision has still yet to release the infamous tuning adapter for Tivo users.
I personally think Cable Companies are going to have to change their compression to MPEG4. It's going to require them to swap out lots and lots of equipment, and cost them lots of money, but they can't keep compressing these channels so they look like crap. At least FIOS has all the same channels as cable/dish, but they don't have the compression yet. |
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Chris 313Come get somePremium
join:2004-07-18
Houma, LA Reviews:
·AT&T U-Verse
·Comcast Digital ..
·Comcast
| said by Jmartz:said by Matt:said by Chris 313:technologies like DOCSIS 3.0 and Switched Digital Video will help. That is assuming companies like Cablevision can actually get Switched Digital Video working correctly. Cablevision has still yet to release the infamous tuning adapter for Tivo users. I personally think Cable Companies are going to have to change their compression to MPEG4. It's going to require them to swap out lots and lots of equipment, and cost them lots of money, but they can't keep compressing these channels so they look like crap. At least FIOS has all the same channels as cable/dish, but they don't have the compression yet. Yes, I'm aware of the SDV problems Cable is having with things like Tivo, lucky for me, I don't have that problem as I've neither a Tivo, nor SDV rolled out in my area. I'm using a Motorola DVR supplied by Comcast. (I'm having strange problems with this box, so I see now why everyone is hating on them.)
I would say that they would have to change out a good bit of equipment, but that'd be natural progression since the boxes in use in areas are at least 4-5 years old. Makers would've had to come out with something newer or better that supports new things like MPEG4 or added feature goodies.
Take this for instance: »www.motorola.com/business/US-EN/···b00aRCRD
Though it does only support MPEG 2 in the specs.
As for FiOS, If I remember right, they're running on a cable system themselves. 870Mhz if memory serves. They also use boxes like this: »www.motorola.com/business/US-EN/···b00aRCRD
Still, these boxes only do MPEG 2 as well. |
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| The newest QIP7216 boxes do MPEG-2 and MPEG-4. |
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Chris 313Come get somePremium
join:2004-07-18
Houma, LA Reviews:
·AT&T U-Verse
·Comcast Digital ..
·Comcast
| said by ravensfan55:The newest QIP7216 boxes do MPEG-2 and MPEG-4. Oh? Got specs, I'd love to see it. |
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 FXWGPremium
join:2000-08-15
Glen Allen, VA | said by Chris 313:said by ravensfan55:The newest QIP7216 boxes do MPEG-2 and MPEG-4. Oh? Got specs, I'd love to see it. Here you go.
»www.motorola.com/Business/US-EN/···16_US-EN |
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Chris 313Come get somePremium
join:2004-07-18
Houma, LA Reviews:
·AT&T U-Verse
·Comcast Digital ..
·Comcast
| Thanks! I'd love for Comcast to have something like this. Sounds like it'd work a lot better then my current box does. |
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 jmn1207Premium
join:2000-07-19
Ashburn, VA | The problem is that unless every customer has an MPEG-4 capable set-top-box, both an MPEG-2 AND MPEG-4 signal would have to be sent out. That is certainly not going to happen any time soon. |
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MattAll noise, no signal.Premium
join:2003-07-20
Jamestown, NC
kudos:12 | said by jmn1207:The problem is that unless every customer has an MPEG-4 capable set-top-box, both an MPEG-2 AND MPEG-4 signal would have to be sent out. That is certainly not going to happen any time soon. Wouldn't switched digital video take care of that problem since signals are only sent "on-demand" so to speak? |
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jmn1207Premium
join:2000-07-19
Ashburn, VA | Sure, but at this time that option would would still require expensive equipment upgrades. I don't think a firmware update to our current set-top-boxes would be enough. I remember there being some confusion about FiOS being a mini switched video system at the customers ONT when it first came out, but those rumors have been put to rest as FiOS went with a more traditional cable TV delivery solution so as to make use of relatively inexpensive and widely available equipment.
This is just stuff that I have read about here and there. I am no expert on this topic. Don't take any of this as gospel.  |
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 batterupI Can Not Tell A Lie.Premium
join:2003-02-06
Netcong, NJ | reply to Matt
said by Matt:cable has the ability to run FTTH if necessary. Not in your lifetime. |
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MattAll noise, no signal.Premium
join:2003-07-20
Jamestown, NC
kudos:12 | said by batterup:said by Matt:cable has the ability to run FTTH if necessary. Not in your lifetime. You have been able to order a direct fiber connection from Time Warner Business Class for years now and I've been told on a tour of a local Time Warner RDC and told that they can run fiber whenever they want, there simply isn't a reason for the expense yet. |
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 kamm
join:2001-02-14
Brooklyn, NY | said by Matt:said by batterup:said by Matt:cable has the ability to run FTTH if necessary. Not in your lifetime. You have been able to order a direct fiber connection from Time Warner Business Class for years now and I've been told on a tour of a local Time Warner RDC and told that they can run fiber whenever they want, there simply isn't a reason for the expense yet. Hahahaha, this is a good joke... have you ever compared the price of that so-called "TWC fiber" to VZ's FIOS prices?
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[BQUOTE=[user=bicker]]Waaaa waaaa waaaa. You just want what you want and don't care to factor in what is right or true. Your perspectives are un-American, and deserve far more ridicule than I'm prepared to pile on them.
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